Monday, August 3, 2015

Meet the Author -- Nan Jones -- Win a copy of her new book

Nan Jones
My guest today is Nan Jones.  I first became acquainted with Nan Jones through her uplifting blog, Morning Glory. Nan is an author and speaker who resides in the beautiful mountains of Ashe County, North Carolina. She is the mother of three adult children and one grandchild. When Nan is not writing or preparing messages for her speaking ministry, you'll find her gardening, crocheting, reading or sharing a cup of coffee with a friend.

I’ve asked Nan to tell us a little about herself and her new book, The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife.  Nan would like to give away a paperback copy of the book, so be sure to read the details for the give-away at the end of this interview. 

Nan, tell us about your ministry.

For years I prayed, "Lord, open my eyes that I might see You. Teach me to know Your voice." God has honored my persistent prayers. He has taught me what it means when Paul said, "For it is in Him that we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28). That is how I survived the years of sorrow and loss I have lived through. I love encouraging others with the truth that God is with them always, even when it feels like they've been abandoned. I know that by sharing my personal struggles with them and the tender ways the Lord has pursued me with His love in the midst of my pain—I know it will encourage them and give them strength for the journey. I love when the words of my heart meet a deep need in the life of a reader. It is an honor for me to share His message of faithfulness through my writing and speaking.


Share with us the most meaningful truth you hope your readers glean from your writing.

There have been times in my life that I was so overcome with sorrow I could no longer pray. All I could do was speak the Name of Jesus. He drew near to me in response to my cry and taught me to see Him and hear His sweet whispers of love. I learned to rest in His Presence—just being. Not striving. Not running my mouth. Just basking in His love. These are the things I write and teach about.

Tell us a little about your new book and what inspired you to write it.

The Perils of A Pastor's Wife will help mend hearts burned in the lonely fires of ministry. Through its pages I share what God has taught me about finding Him in my darkest hours.

I served as a pastor's wife for 31 years. These were some of the most fulfilling and rewarding years of my life. These years were also some of the most trying—not necessarily because of the people, but because of the spiritual battles that raged. Our lives could be turned upside down as quickly as the wind changes in a storm. A pastor's wife knows what it is to feel completely alone in the middle of a crowd. We are known to have trust issues—wondering who we can really be ourselves with and share our hearts with when we're troubled. Rejection is another hurt that most folks don’t think about when they consider the lives of pastors and their wives. The pain can be unbearable. I knew that other pastors' wives needed to know that they were not alone in their struggles and that someone understood what they were going through. I hope readers walk away from this book with renewed confidence in her calling, with healing deep in her spirit, and the realization that in her darkest moments God is with her—He is faithful.

I’d like to share this excerpt:


CHAPTER ONE

AFTER THE FIRE, A GENTLE WHISPER

ONLY GOD KNEW where my husband was. I had run from
the business meeting before its completion. Tempers
flared. Tongues were unleashed, and nearly three years
of fruitful ministry were all but destroyed. My heart beat
madly within my chest, fighting desperately not to break
from the pain of rejection. Angry tears stung my cheeks
as I bolted from the sanctuary. I didn’t know if I could
continue in this thing called ministry. God was asking too
much of me.

My husband, David, and I had been ministering in the
small rural church for three years. Under his leadership
and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the church had experienced
exponential growth. God’s mercy and grace flowed into
the lives of our people. Church had become a place of joy,
restoration, and refuge.

Then evil reared its ugly head.


Share with us your favorite Scripture and give us your insight about it.

The Scripture that I ponder and rely upon the most is Exodus 33:14:


This verse expresses the Truth that carries me through my difficulties in its simplest form—God is with me always and because of that I can find rest from the heartache, rest from the fears and anxieties, rest from the enemy's pursuit.


Where can we find you on the web? Readers might like to connect with you there.

Twitter: @NanJonesAuthor
Facebook Community Page: Seeing Beyond the Veil
Pinterest: Nan Jones, Author

To contact Nan, please visit her website or contact her directly at nan@jubilantlight.com

Please leave a comment below (along with your email address) to be included in a random drawing for a copy of The Perils of a Pastor’s Wife. The winner will be announced on the blog on Monday, August 17th.


Many thanks to Nan for being our guest, and thank you as ever for taking the time to visit Write Moments with God. You are much appreciated.

4 comments:

  1. Would love to read this. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  2. Thanks so much for visiting. I think it's a lovely book full of insight and encouragement.

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  3. Brenda, thank you for stopping by. Are you a pastor's wife? I write from the perspective of a pastor's wife so my reader will know that I understand what she is going through. But I have heard from many women who have read The Perils of A Pastor's Wife who tell me they benefited greatly from the lessons I've learned even though they are not in ministry. That blesses me so much because all of us have times that we struggle with our faith and feel as though the Lord has abandoned us. I'm so very thankful that the Lord is using the words of my heart to encourage my sisters. Sweet blessings to you, Nan

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  4. I appreciate your understanding, as reflected in your response to Brenda above, "that all of us have times that we struggle with our faith and feel as though the Lord has abandoned us." My struggle has always been to just believe that there is a God and that he is present to me and each of us. Thus, my prayer has been, "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief."

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